


Body Heat

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7847854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nic and Elsa huddle for warmth in the tent at night, and Elsa hatches a plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Body Heat

Elsa Einstein shivered despite her many layers of clothing and proximity to the campfire. There was only one spot in the inhospitable frozen valley that offered any considerable warmth. And even that was temporary at best. Louisa didn’t come around very often anymore, so it was always up to her to get wood. Berzelius had forbidden her from using Swedenborg to fetch wood, and Nic was always busy researching some insane theory. He was currently hellbent on finding a way into the pass behind him, despite it being blocked by a pillar of ice.

“A flamethrower would melt through that ice pillar easily enough,” said Elsa, seeing his furrowed brow as he looked between the pillar and his notes.

“Yes, and it would ruin any important scientific finds,” said Nic.

“That’s your answer to everything,” said Elsa, crossing her arms over her chest.

“If you don’t have anything useful to say, don’t say anything at all,” said Nic.

“Very well then. It is growing darker and colder. Perhaps we should think about turning in. It isn’t good for your eyes to read in the dark,” said Elsa.

“You sound like my mother,” said Nic, and laughed. “But perhaps you are right.”

“What was that? Did you just admit to me being right about something? Oh my stars, and I didn’t even record it for posterity! We should commemorate this moment with a plaque, or perhaps a statue. Built entirely of titanium.”

“Are you coming to bed or not?” asked Nic from the tent’s entrance.

“Oh. Right,” said Elsa. She dusted the snow off her jacket and shook it off her beanie, then crawled into the tent and removed her shoes. Her thick, snuggly knocks (knitted socks) were still oh-so-warm and dry. The tent, however, was cold.

“Sorry about the cold, my solar-powered heater doesn’t work here,” said Nic. “There’s no sunlight to charge it.”

“Take it out to Valedale to charge,” said Elsa. “Have Louisa take it of a morning and return it in the evening.”

“I’m sure that she has better things to do than charge a portable heater,” said Nic. There was a zipping and shuffling noise as he got into his sleeping bag.

“Hmph. Well, another way to get warm is to share body heat,” said Elsa. “If we zip our sleeping bags together, we can cling to each other in this frozen wasteland and not freeze to death in our sleep.”

“That sounds almost romantic,” said Nice. “Alright, let’s share the warmth.”

“Romantic? Oh no no no, it’s nothing of the sort,” said Elsa. “We are simply sharing body heat, and that is all. It’s a survival instinct.”

“It’s the start of every smutty novel known to man,” said Nic.

“How do you-“

“Unlike some people, I actually talk to Louisa,” said Nic. “And the Soul Riders. They are nice people and make good conversation.”

“Oh. Well, it’s nothing like that, I promise,” said Elsa. “Your innocence is safe with me.”

Elsa helped Nic to zip their sleeping bags together, and then climbed into the new super sleeping bag with him. They were very close together like this, and Elsa had to quietly admit to herself that it felt nice being held by Nic like this. She stayed close to his body like a smaller spoon in a bigger spoon, situated in such a way to get the most of his body heat without obstructing either of their breathing.

“There, now isn’t that much better?” said Elsa. “Nice and warm, and neither of us have cold feet or any cold parts so it’s not uncomfortable at all. In fact, it’s quite comfortable. Not being this close to you, I mean that is nice because you’re nice and warm, but it is quite nice, especially with your bulk providing mass amounts of body warmth and-“

“Elsa,” said Nic, and she felt his chest vibrate with his words. “Shut up.”

“Oh, right, I’m using all the oxygen with my talking. Some people think better aloud, Stoneground,” said Elsa.

“And some people think better with a decent night’s sleep,” said Nic. “Shut up and go to sleep or I’ll make you sleep in the fridge.”

“Well, that would be a rather good chance to properly examine it-“

“Oh my days, do you have an off switch?”

Elsa shut up, but her mind didn’t. She was still thinking of ways to get into Nic’s fridge when Nic fell asleep and began snoring. Elsa’s nose began to get cold, so she turned over and buried her face in Nic’s chest. She noticed that his arms tightened around her, so she wrapped her arms around him too. This was very comfortable and warm. Elsa had made a good decision. She didn’t know why her heart was beating so fast, or why heat seemed to be coming from the inside, but she was sure that it was some obscure biological reaction. And certainly not because maybe, just maybe, Elsa was succumbing to the career-ruining disease of Stranded Love like so many adventurous women had. At least, according to those novels that Louisa sometimes read.


End file.
